Names In The News

In N.Y., gossip columnist Elisa Lipsky-Karasz reported Cavaliers
G LEBRON JAMES was supposed to be on the cover of this month’s GQ, but
when the editors got the photos of actress LINDSAY LOHAN “pulling her
pants down ... they rushed to put the luscious teen on the cover” (N.Y. POST,
10/3).

CAPITAL CALL: In Colorado Springs, Meri-Jo Borzilleri
reported the traditional trip to the White House for U.S. Olympians and Paralympians
costs about $800 per athlete, a total of $400,000 for the 500 athletes expected
to accept, and USOC officials “are scrambling to raise money from sponsors and
private donations after the trip, unbeknownst to athletes, was axed from the
budget in a cost-cutting move last year” (Colorado Springs GAZETTE, 10/2).

CURTAIN CALL: In Portland, Margie Boule reported former
NBAer MICHAEL HARPER is starring in the play “THE FORMER ONE-ON-ONE
BASKETBALL CHAMPION” October 15-31 at the Oregon Children’s Theatre. Harper
plays “a former NBA star in a pickup game against a 14-year-old kid who once
idolized him. Shot by shot, line by line, the two grapple with the tensions
between fans and heroes, big shots and has-beens, fathers and sons. But the
play is also about people facing challenges, doing things they’re afraid of.”
The play is directed by STAN FOOTE (Portland OREGONIAN, 10/7).

BIRD CALL: In Indianapolis, David Woods reports U.S.
swimmer MICHAEL PHELPS was presented his Gold Medal after winning the
200m freestyle at the World Swimming Championships yesterday by Pacers President
of Basketball Operations LARRY BIRD. Phelps already has a Pacers jersey
autographed by Bird, Pacers G REGGIE MILLER and Pacers F JERMAINE
O’NEAL (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 10/8).

LONG DISTANCE CALL: TIME’s Josh Tyrangiel profiles Pistons
Dir of Int’l Scouting TONY RONZONE, and writes, “The irony that the world’s
best international basketball scout is also the world’s worst student of foreign
languages is not lost on Ronzone’s peers. Pistons VP/Basketball Operations
JOHN HAMMOND: “He can’t speak any language at all. Yet he travels to these
obscure places and builds lasting relationships with all kinds of people. It’s
amazing” (TIME, 10/11 issue).